The Cold Truth About Toddy Coffee

Posted July 7, 2004 by Patricia Guthrie

While putting your leftover hot morning coffee in the fridge to drink later over ice is technically cold coffee, it's also technically bad. So say coffee connoisseurs, who swear by cold water and a sturdy filter to make the finest, smoothest cool java. It's an age-old cold-water process used worldwide, by which cold water is filtered through ground coffee and steeped overnight.

For those who'd like to try world-class cold-brew coffee, there are a few models on the market.

The Toddy cold-water process produces a concentrate that locks in flavor normally lost to heat. It also gets rid of acids and oils. Mix 1 part concentrate to 3 parts cold water. Before adding any milk or sugar, sip it straight up over ice. It should taste smooth and rich enough to drink without any of the usual accessories. But it can also be used with dessert recipes or mixed with ice cream, liqueurs or wherever this bold cold coffee takes you. Some even heat it up!

BREWING IT BOLD AND COLD

Make sure rubber stopper plugs the hole under white coffee funnel.

Place a filter in the white funnel, wetting it to fit snugly in recess at bottom.